For integral lid honey dipper

ABSTRACT

An article for extracting a viscous fluid from a vessel comprising a plurality of concentric annular ring portions; said ring portions connected in a stack with a series of grooves located in between them; said stack connected to a shaft; and an annular lid portion connected to said shaft.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority status from Provisional Application No.62/182,451, filed on Jun. 20, 2016.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a honey dipper for extracting honey from avessel, the honey dipper having an integral lid for securing the dipperwithin the opening of a vessel, such as a jar, and at the same time forsealing the jar from dirt, insects, and, to some extent, the atmosphere.

A honey dipper is a device that is used to extract viscous fluids(generally honey) from a vessel such as a jar or container, and thenused to exude the fluid onto another surface. FIG. 1 shows aconventional honey dipper 1 with a shaft 2 and a series of concentricannular ring portions 4 in a stack that vary in size. The ring portionsare separated by a series of coaxial grooves 6. The dipper is used bytwirling or twisting upon dipping into the viscous fluid. The fluid isthen entrained in the grooves during the twirling. The dipper is thenused to drizzle the fluid, such as honey, on bread, biscuits, or otherfoods. It can be made of metal, plastic, or wood, depending on theuser's preference, and can be one piece or made up of multiple pieces.

A problem with conventional honey dippers is that after use when left inan open fluid-containing jar, as they normally are after using, with theshaft of the dipper extending from the jar, the open jar attracts bugssuch as ants, and dirt. The other option at this point is to wash thedipper after use and then seal the jar. Both situations result in a lossof the honey or other fluid, and much waste.

Therefore, it is a long felt but still unsatisfied need to create ahoney dipper that is used to extract fluid and which prevents a waste ofthe honey (or other fluid).

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a honeydipper with an integral lid for closing the top of a container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a honey dipperwith an integral lid for engaging with the lid of the fluid-carryingcontainer.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a honey dipperwith an integral lid combined with a container for holding honey.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a honey dipperwith an integral lid and a container or lid with which the honey dipperengages.

These and other objects of the present invention will become moreapparent to those skilled in the art after studying the followingdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of conventional honey dipper.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the integral honey dipper of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the integral honey dipper of the presentinvention shown from beneath the structure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the integral lid honey dipper of thepresent invention shown from the side.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the annular ring of a mason jar usedwith the integral lid honey dipper of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the integral lid honey fastener of thepresent invention installed in the annular ring of a mason jar.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the integral lid honey dipper of thepresent invention installed within a jar.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the integral lid honey dipperinstalled within the annular ring of a jar.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the honey dipperof present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an integral lidhoney dipper includes: a tapered shaft ending in a series of concentricannular ring portions. The ring portion may be of the same size orvarying sizes. The ring portions are separated by annular grooves alongthe shaft. The shaft at the other end is connected to a cylindrical lidmember, which seals the top of a container containing a viscous fluidsuch as honey. The lid member terminates in a circular handle member,but the handle may be of any shape. The top of the lid member has anannular ridge whose top mates with the underside of an annular ring of aconventional mason jar lid. The underside of the annular ridge rests onthe top edge of a mason jar. The lid is then screwed onto the top of thejar, with the honey dipper retained by the lid and suspended in thecenter of the jar, with the ridge trapped between the bottom surface ofthe annular ring and the top edge of the mason jar.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an integrallid honey dipper includes: a tapered shaft ending in a series ofconcentric annular ring portions. The ring portions may be of the samesize or varying sizes. The ring portions are separated by annulargrooves along the shaft. The shaft at the other end is connected to acylindrical lid member, which seals the top of a container containing aviscous fluid such as honey. The lid member terminates in a circularhandle member, but the handle may be of any shape. The honey dipper ofthis embodiment can be used with any container.

Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon studying these disclosures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

To further illustrate the present invention, the construction andoperation of the preferred embodiment will be described. The descriptionof the preferred embodiment is provided merely to further illustrate thepresent invention and is not intended to limit the scope of theinvention in any fashion.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a conventional honey dipper 1, whichmay be made of wood, metal, or plastic. Shaft 2 terminates in severalannular disc members 4, which as shown progress in size to the middle ofthe stack, then decrease in size. The discs may be of uniform size aswell or any suitable mixture of sizes. The discs create a series ofannular grooves 6 for entraining honey upon inserting the disc-end ofthe dipper into the viscous fluid and spinning or twirling it. Uponspinning, honey is entrained in the grooves, at which time the honeydipper is removed from the fluid, and the fluid is spread or drizzledonto another surface such as bread or toast.

Conventionally, the honey dipper is then placed back in the containerthat contains the honey, in which case the shaft extends through the topof the jar, preventing the jar from sealing and allowing access to dirtand insects to the honey, as well as allowing air to freely access thehoney, accelerating its crystallization. Alternatively, the dipper istaken out and the jar is sealed. The dipper is then washed, with a largeamount of honey being washed down the drain and wasted. Much honey orother fluid is wasted by using conventional dippers for these reasons.The present invention solves these and other problems associated withhoney dippers.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the integral lid honey dipper 10 ofthe present invention. Tapered shaft 12 culminates in disc members 14separated by grooves 15. Tapered shaft 12, which along with the rest ofthe preferably (although it may be multiple pieces) one piece dipper ispreferably made of wood such as apple or maple, impregnated withbeeswax, but may be made of any suitable material such as other woods,plastic or metal, terminates in the underside of lid member 16. Lidmember 16 has annular ridge 18 which forms first annular recess 20 andsecond annular recess 21. Second annular recess 21 engages with theannular ring of the lid of a conventional mason jar, as shown anddescribed below. First annular recess 20 rests on the top edge of thecanning jar.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom perspective view of honey dipper 10, looking frombelow. In this view, the honey dipper is installed in the annular ring24 of a conventional mason jar. Annular ridge 18 engages the undersideof annular ring 24 to secure it in place, with the second annular ridge21 resting against surface 26 of annular ring 24. The ring is thenscrewed down onto the threads of a mason jar.

FIG. 4 shows a side perspective view of dipper 10. As can be seen,annular ridge 18 forms first annular recess 20 and second annular recess21, which cause the annular ridge 18 to be caught between the bottomsurface of the annular ring a mason jar and the top edge of the jar.

FIG. 5 shows a top perspective view of the annular ring 24 of aconventional mason jar, which is often used to store honey. It has a topsurface 26 and an under surface 30, which engages the annular ridge 18of the honey dipper at first annular recess 20. It also has a series ofthreads 30 which screw down onto the opening of a conventional masonjar. In operation the honey dipper is inserted from below into theannular ring such that ridge 18 at recess 20 is placed into engagingcontact with lower surface 28 of the annular ring. The ring is thenscrewed onto the threads of a mason jar containing honey with the ridge18 held in frictional engagement between the lower surface 30 and theupper edge 32 of the mason jar by virtue of the engagement of thethreads of the annular ring with the jar, the ridge being trappedbetween lower surface 30 at first annular recess 20 and the top edge ofthe jar at second annular recess 21.

FIG. 6 shows a side perspective view of the honey dipper of presentinvention inserted into the annular ring of a conventional mason jar. Ascan be seen, ridge 18 is engaged at first annular recess 20 undersurface 30 of annular ring 26. The honey dipper is inserted from theright into the annular ring, effectuating such engagement. The assembleddipper/ring is then screwed onto the top of a mason jar, with annularrecess 21 resting on the edge of the jar.

FIG. 7 illustrates the honey dipper of the present invention installedin vessel, such as a conventional mason jar. As can be seen, annularring 26 is screwed down onto the opening 32 of vessel 30. Annular ridge18 of honey dipper 10 is trapped at its top surface at recess 20 by thebottom surface of annular ring 26 and at its bottom surface at recess 21by the top edge of vessel 30 by virtue of the engagement of the annularring threads with the threads of the jar. In this manner, the honeydipper is suspended in the fluid between uses, with the jar sealed offfrom dirt, insects, and the environment, albeit without an airtightseal.

FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the installed honey dipper. Annularring 26 is in screwed-down engagement with ridge 18.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view from the side of a second embodiment ofthe present invention. Honey dipper 40 functions in much the same way asthe first embodiment, with the exception of the integral lid 42, whichis flat and simply rests on the top edge of the vessel into which thehoney dipper is inserted, as opposed to being engaged by the lid.

I claim:
 1. An article for extracting a viscous fluid from a vesselcomprising: a plurality of concentric annular ring portions; said ringportions connected in a stack with a series of grooves located inbetween them; said stack connected to a shaft; and an annular lidportion connected to the other end of said shaft.
 2. The article ofclaim 1 wherein said lid portion further comprises a handle connected tosaid lid.
 3. The article of claim 1 further comprising a vessel forcontaining a fluid.
 4. The article of claim 1 wherein said article ismade of wood.
 5. The article of claim 1 wherein said article is onepiece.
 6. The article of claim 3 wherein said vessel has an edge, thelid portion resting on said edge.
 7. An apparatus for storing a viscousfluid, said apparatus comprising an article for extracting a viscousfluid from a vessel, said article further comprising a honey dipper withand integral lid.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising avessel for storing fluid.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising ahandle connected to said lid.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7 comprisingdiscs of the same size.
 11. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising discs ofvarying sizes.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said honey dipper isone piece.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said honey dipper iswood.
 14. An apparatus for storing a viscous fluid, said apparatuscomprising: a honey dipper; said honey dipper having an integral lid;said integral lid, having an annular ridge forming a first annularrecess and a second annular recess; a vessel with an open top; anannular ring for partially enclosed said top; said annular ring havingthreads for engaging said top; said annular ring having a top and abottom surface; said honey dipper insertable into said annular ring suchthat said first recess engages said bottom portion of said annular ringand said second recess rests on said open top; said annular ringscrewable onto said vessel such that said annular ridge is engagedbetween said annular ring and said vessel's top edge such that saidhoney dipper seals said vessel and is suspended in such vessel.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 14 wherein said honey dipper has discs of the samesize.
 16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said honey dipper has discsdifferent sizes.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said honey dipperhas a handle.
 18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said lid is flat.19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said honey dipper is one piece.20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said honey dipper is wood.